Document ppYoX049mzemYjGEnM7NmQEBB

468 LOUIS SCHWARTZ at one time, advocated by some dermatologists, but in the hands of the;4t|l they have proved to be of no value. ~ No general rules can be given for the treatment of the chronic eczema chronic lichenified types of dermatitis. The treatment is left to the judgin' the dermatologist and depends on the stage and extent of the lesions, the! plications present, and the condition of the patient. !Sa VIII. Occupational Cancer Workers exposed to soot, pitch, coal tar, crude petroleum from oert^in|^ ties (such as Scotch shale oil), x-rays, radium, and excessive solar radialionJu a high rate of skin cancers. Chromic acid and chromates have been found ' lung cancer. A. SOURCES OF OCCUPATIONAL CANCER Soot. Cancer of the scrotum among chimney sweeps was reported in Eng as eight times more prevalent than among the general population. It is c utadfl rubbing the soot into the scrotum as the sweep is squeezed when descehdingljtl chimney. It is practically nonexistent in other countries and is on the dclmi?$ England. ?\3jj Coal tar. The heavy coal-tar distillates and pitch are the mostsfrequc causes of occupational cancer. In the United States more than 90 per cental IfalAi ported occupational^ cancers are caused by coal tar andjts heavy distills tcs*irrate of skin cancers among workers with coal-tar pitch is high; the authbr.'f("mfi cases among 100 workers. Tar and pitch from gas works are more carcinogen than tar and pitch from coke ovens. Road builders, roofers, conduit ma|eryim briquet makers are some of the workers outside coal-tar and gas plantsvwho.min coal-tar products and are often affected with skin cancers. . Petroleum. Workerspetroleum fields, especially where the .crudc^oTta highly carcinogenic, are subject to occupational skin cancers. Shale-oil wSrir^S said to have a carcinoma incidence of 1 per cent annually. Pure medio.miil'jfqir' leum oils are not carcinogenic. Treatment with sulfuric acid during th'J rcflnin process destroys the cancer-producing principle. Mule spinner's canjjer`tpf^,ir scrotum has not been observed tobe caused by spindle oils of Aincrican-'originhas been reported in England and is caused bytnctaiToF the oil SoakiS^K?8f against ithe-scrotum-of workers on mule spinning machines which*th>rm .aifyq spray. It can be prevented by wearing oilproof aprons. . ..uHAgvBR Aniline. Workers in factories making synthetic dyes and exposedjsfu.lujii -dine,_'a.r.naphth.yl,amine,-and-/3~napbth-ylamine(-have-a-high-rat6:;of-palijlOTTO{l and carcinoma of the bladder. Chromium. Workers engaged in the manufacture of chromiumSs^altsmg chromic acid have been found to have a large excess over the normal incidoni'n^f lung cancer. OCCUPATIONAL DERMATOSES 469 fr*"1X-ray technicians and tube makers -have a comparatively high rate [onal cancer. $& j||> Radiologists, workers with radium, have a high incidence of occu- Ipcer. Radium dial painters have developed malignant bone tumors Ration or inhalation of radium. Cancer of the lungs is prevalent among ia'dium ore. Uranium miners cancer has not yet been reported. ir.ays. Outdoor workers, such as fishermen, sailors, soldiers, and |ia high incidence of skin cancers. tJyvtWa.ti.:1, Malignant tumors may develop at the site of chemical burns and Spqif^'J viiamnatism. That a single trauma can cause cancer is debatable and is '^Jj^f^npjsimpossible to prove. In order to prove it, it must be shown that the ^Vi^M^lbefore the trauma; that the trauma was at the site of the cancer; ^^^^tvinterval elapsed between the trauma and the appearance of the |Bti$there was no other traumatism at the site of the cancer during this lllligbiopsy must verify the malignant nature of the.growth. Cancers can arise in cicatrices of burns, usually a number of years OTA gj^B. PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL CANCER Spiaving keratoses, warts, or xeroderma should not be employed in Bhfere there is a marked cancer hazard. Processes giving off tar or Isndiild be enclosed. Persons working with carcinogenic coal-tar deriv- furnished with el pan work cl othes daily and be compelled to ifter work. Protective ointments containing chemical or physical e'useful to protect against excessive sunlight. MlCijfr.t- IX. Methods of Investigation je^QtaVestigate intelligently the cause of occupational dermatoses, one liPj&st.a sufficient knowledge of dermatologyto distinguish, contact ^^Bsuch-ordinary nonoccupational skin diseasesras-psoriasis, impetigo, SPpityria8i8 rosea. In addition, one should have a fair knowledge of ^p^ujtrial chemicals on the skin. The actualinvestigations-in factories ^^thejs.knowledge of industrial. processes.1.Ahat,kis-,anpthgLiiessential MBSTT ...".. ..... ^eS.chn..hope for success in finding the cause of a particular outbreak ^Efidermatitis, it is necessary to have the experience and knowledge uaiesV'of the skin hazards and the normal incidence oif'occupational jtimatdMay:rAtiigHasfBtiir(iustri'ea::.uch--.atudies not- only-acquainfr one-with the f it1" it ., operties of various chemicals, but often lead to the discovery of * 'tJ*-. i Mti Vkl] SjTiQtjpreviously reported. The basic industries should b^e. selected foi;: - ij they manu^ao^ure the chemicals used in all other factories,t 'u^fogkinbn are subject to the hazards of contact with these chemicals. mmm. m*.